China considers "democracy" to consist of what their ruling communist elites vote for, which the people just meekly accept. When added to China, the people of Hong Kong are no exception. At best, they were given 50 years to accept that definition.
This is heartening but fraught with danger of massacre and heavy-handed oppression:
Hong Kong democracy protesters defied volleys of tear gas and police baton charges to stand firm in the centre of the global financial hub on Monday, one of the biggest political challenges for China since the Tiananmen Square crackdown 25 years ago.
The Communist government in Beijing made clear it would not tolerate dissent, and warned against any foreign interference as thousands of protesters massed for a fourth night in the free-wheeling, capitalist city of more than 7 million people.
"Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying defiantly told a news briefing in Beijing.
And there are certain realities of being China's Hong Kong:
Just days before China was set to deliver its edict on electoral reform in Hong Kong, Beijing’s most senior official in the city held a rare meeting with several local lawmakers whose determined push for full democracy had incensed Beijing's Communist leaders. ...
Zhang, 51, dressed in a black suit and a navy blue striped tie, delivered a blunt response. “The fact that you are allowed to stay alive, already shows the country's inclusiveness," he answered, according to two people in the room who declined to be named. Zhang's office did not respond to several faxed requests for comment. [emphasis added]
Zhang later said his remark was taken out of context. I think we're seeing just some of the context being used on the protesters.
I have to wonder if China will magically see the hand of Japan in the protests and use that as an excuse to do whatever it takes to clear the streets of living protesters.
